On the day the battle with Takuma Shippou concluded, Izumi found herself paced by a restless uncertainty within the quiet of her home. The source of her anxiety was a handful of words Tatsuya had spoken after the match.
(It felt as though Shiba-senpai was genuinely concerned for Kasumi-chan... Usually, he isn't the type to interfere with others or show that kind of consideration.)
As a member of the Student Council, Izumi had many opportunities to observe Tatsuya. Even during lunch, as she watched the circle around him—Miyuki, Honoka, Shizuku, and even Pixie—fuss over his every need, she often found herself wondering, What is it about a man like him that draws them in?
She acknowledged his competence; he was undeniably efficient and perceptive. However, she had never once felt a spark of attraction toward him as a member of the opposite sex. But now, Tatsuya Shiba occupied her thoughts. Whether this fascination was a budding romantic interest or simply a curiosity toward a senior who had shown an unexpected side of himself, Izumi could not yet say.
(Come to think of it, Onee-sama was quite close to Shiba-senpai last year. She might know what kind of person he truly is.)
Realizing that her eldest sister, Mayumi, had spent an entire year observing Tatsuya's character, Izumi eagerly awaited her return. She had no intention of consulting her other sister, Kasumi; the girl would likely just turn red and offer a rambling, incoherent response.
"Welcome home, Mayumi-ojousama."
Just as Izumi was lost in thought, she heard the rhythmic greeting of the maid at the entrance. Knowing Mayumi's habit of casually dismissing the staff before retreating to her room, Izumi waited for a polite interval before heading toward her sister's quarters.
"Onee-sama, it's Izumi. May I come in?"
"Come in."
At Mayumi's invitation, Izumi entered the room. Normally, she felt no trepidation in this space, but today her heart was hammering against her ribs—a fact she was acutely aware of.
"Izumi-chan? What's the matter? You look so tense."
"There is something I wished to ask you, Onee-sama."
"To ask me? I wonder what it could be."
Seeing Mayumi's genuinely puzzled expression, Izumi realized that her question was something her sister couldn't have predicted—something entirely outside the scope of Izumi's usual behavior.
"I was hoping you could tell me a little more about Shiba-senpai."
"Shiba-senpai...? You mean Tatsuya-kun?"
"Yes."
The moment Izumi confirmed the name, Mayumi's demeanor underwent a visible shift. A second ago, she had been the composed, elegant older sister; now, she seemed flustered, radiating the vulnerable aura of a young girl in the throes of a secret.
"My, it's rare for you to ask about Tatsuya-kun, Izumi-chan. I would have found it much more believable if you'd asked about Miyuki-san."
"The truth is, we had a match against Shippou-kun today."
"So I heard. I don't know the specifics, but I was told it was a battle for the prestige of our respective families."
"Indeed. During that match, both Shippou-kun and we... perhaps became a bit too heated."
Izumi paused, watching for Mayumi's reaction. Mayumi nodded, silently encouraging her to continue.
"We were told at the start: 'Lethal attacks and magic causing irreparable damage are strictly prohibited.'"
"And?"
"Neither Shippou-kun nor we intended to go that far. But even if we had let our emotions get the better of us, we assumed that Shiba-senpai wouldn't possess the magical power necessary to forcefully shut down our spells."
This time, when Izumi looked at her sister, Mayumi looked as though she were suppressing a burst of laughter. Izumi interpreted this as proof: Mayumi knew Tatsuya's true strength.
"Perhaps you're angry because Tatsuya-kun forced the match to a halt?" Mayumi asked.
"No. I admit I felt a flash of anger in that moment. But once I calmed down, I realized that both we and Shippou-kun had indeed gone too far."
"It seems so... This magic is definitely excessive."
"Onee-sama, what is that?"
Mayumi was looking at her terminal with a wry smile. Izumi, despite knowing it was a breach of etiquette, leaned in to peek at the screen.
"Tatsuya-kun sent me the detailed combat data. Asphyxiating Turbulence and Thermal Turbulence... honestly, were you trying to kill him?"
"That was never our intent! We were merely countering Shippou-kun's 'Million Edge'... But we lost control of the magic. We were one step away from an excessive assault."
"Well, it looks like Shippou-kun's 'Million Edge' was also in a dangerous state after being hit by those thermal currents," Mayumi noted, nodding at the data. She clearly understood that Tatsuya's intervention had been the correct judgment.
"So, Izumi-chan, do you want to know about Tatsuya-kun's magic? I'm afraid I can't tell you much there..."
"No, that isn't it. I want to know about his character. After the match, Kasumi-chan snapped at him, unable to accept the result, and fled the room. I was left behind, unsure of what to do... but then, Shiba-senpai looked at me with a gentleness I've never seen before. He gave me a message for her: 'If you aren't satisfied, I'll face you anytime.'"
"That sounds just like him."
"It may seem 'like him' to you, Onee-sama, but to me, it was utterly unexpected. Which one is the real Shiba-senpai?"
At Izumi's question, Mayumi's smile vanished. Mirroring her sister's sudden gravity, Izumi straightened her posture.
"I couldn't tell you which one is the 'real' Tatsuya-kun. I don't think I could fully understand him even if I tried—and I'm not sure I want to. He's like Pandora's Box."
"Pandora's Box?"
"He piques your curiosity, but there's a sense that if you try to uncover everything, you might find something dangerous. That's the kind of person he is."
The words seemed to strike a chord with Izumi's own intuition. She fell into a pensive silence, while Mayumi simply watched her with a faint, knowing smile.
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